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Funding to Address Concussions and Brain Injuries in Children and Youth Playing Team Sports in Canada

Unintentional Injuries among Children and Youth in Canada

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for people under the age of 19.
More than 40% of brain injuries in children and youth aged 10-19 years treated in emergency departments are due to sport and recreation activities.

While the Government of Canada is encouraging Canada’s children and youth to become more active and live healthy lifestyles, we also want to ensure their safety while being active. Through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Active and Safe initiative, the Government of Canada is investing $5 million over two years to support a number of community-based activities that empower Canadians to make safe choices while engaged in sport activities. Today’s announcement for $1.5 million will support a Canada-wide initiative aimed at reducing the rate and severity of concussions and brain injuries and improving return-to-play decision making for children and youth playing team sports.

Brain Injury Prevention in Team Sports in Canada

This project is a collaboration among four organizations — ThinkFirst Canada, Hockey Canada, the Coaching Association of Canada and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. Each partner will lead specific sections of the project, focusing on, or targeting audiences within their respective networks, ensuring the project reaches Canadians across the country – in urban, rural, remote and northern locations.

The project includes:

an environmental scan to examine existing brain injury and concussion information, and to identify gaps in information and training, as well as areas of greatest opportunity for new approaches;

an awareness campaign to share brain injury prevention and concussion information, teach coaches, parents, and young athletes about the risks and signs of head injury, and influence Canadians to adopt practices and policies that will increase safety and reduce head injuries sustained in team sports; and

the development, design and delivery of a variety of new initiatives, including a brain injury and concussion mobile app, downloadable concussion information cards and helmet fitting guides, and toolkits for individuals involved in team sports, to ensure access to consistent and reliable information about brain injury and concussion prevention and treatment across all provinces and territories.

The project will also focus on providing online programming and low / no cost education and awareness resources to help ensure all Canadians can access this important information.